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joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam
The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.
Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.
Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!
Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.
Click here to report a problem with this page.
Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "contact me immediately" (scammers rush victims so they don't have time to think properly)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +22560208849 (Cote d'Ivoire, probably a prepaid mobile phone)
Fraud email example:
From: AGARTHA GAZI <mrs.agarthagazi@btinternet.com>
Date: Mon, 21 Jun 2010 02:41:55 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: May Good God Bless you./PLEASE REPLY.
>From Mrs.Agartha Gazi.
Hello Dear,
My name is Mrs.Agartha Gazi, I am a woman with a son who has decided to contact you to help me adopt my only son which is the only things i have in this world.
I am a woman and I was diagnosed for cancer for about 3 years ago immediately after the death of my husband who has left me everything he worked for and because the doctors told me I will not live longer than some weeks because of my health I decided to WILL/donate the sum of $15.7m to you and my only child so you can help him stand his futrue by giving him the best education and invest for him so he will not have cause to regret or think bad over the lost of his parents.
You should contact me immediately with your Complete contact informations so that I will put you in contact with the Security company where my late husband deposited the money under a secret arrangement to enable you arrange with them on how to get the money for the purpose mentioned above, I can't predict what will be my fate by the time you will recieve the fund, But you should please ensure that the fund is used as l have described above.I will giv you more details of my family especially my son in your response.
Please feel free to reach me on my son Frank direct phone number: +225 60208849.for more details.
May Good God Bless you.
Mrs.Agartha Gazi.
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Anti-fraud resources:
